Kidney Stone Prevention

Kidney stones are a painful condition, one that most people in the Inland Empire wish to avoid. While there are steps that you can take in order to prevent kidney stones from forming in the first place, it’s important to understand the symptoms of these formations as well as the treatment options that might be available to you. It’s essential for people in Rancho Mirage to visit their urologist on a regular basis, in order to be aware and catch kidney stones as early as possible.

How Can You Prevent Kidney Stones?

Many people have heard horror stories about kidney stones, and those who have had them certainly don’t want to experience it a second time. The good news is that there are preventative measures available. The best way to prevent kidney stones from forming is to drink water and drink it often. Dehydration is one of the main reasons that kidney stones form in the urinary tract. People should consume a significant amount of water each day, especially on warm weather days or on days when they plan to be active. The other way to prevent kidney stones is to limit sodium. Purchase low sodium food, avoid processed food, and try not to add salt to your dishes.

What are the Causes of Kidney Stones

Researchers believe that there are two main causes of kidney stones. In most cases, people who experience kidney stones are genetically predisposed to the condition. It has been found to be hereditary, but it also can be exacerbated by excessive dehydration. Regardless of whether or not someone in your family has had kidney stones, you should drink plenty of water in order to avoid this urinary tract condition.

What are the Symptoms of Kidney Stones?

The most common kidney stone symptoms that are reported include experiencing pain while urinating, and finding blood in your urine. People also may experience abdominal pain or pain in their upper back.

What Treatment Options are Available?

In many cases, the kidney stone will pass on its own in a matter of time. However, for more severe formations, your urologist can help you determine the best treatment option for you. One option is shock wave lithotripsy, which is an outpatient procedure that will reduce the size of the kidney stone using shock waves. Once the size of the original stone is reduced, the smaller stones are able to be passed naturally by the body.

While kidney stones may be painful and uncomfortable, patients should not be afraid if they start to experience the signs and symptoms of these stones. The best thing to do is contact your urologist as soon as possible in order to schedule an exam and discuss your symptoms as well as your health history.

The urologist can help you determine if you are in fact experiencing kidney stones, and come up with a treatment plan for you. The urologist also can run other diagnostic tests at the same time in order to take advantage of early detection and screening options that are available. In addition, the urologist also may discuss cosmetic urology procedures that you could benefit from. For more information, contact your trusted urologist today.